Many times, I’ve heard people say that the hardest part of doing something is simply getting started. When I recently stopped thinking about enrolling in graphic design school, and actually contacted a local school, my life started getting better.

I’ve been working at a retail store, and living paycheck to paycheck for many years. Ever since I was a child, I’ve really enjoyed drawing and painting. For years, I’ve thought about making a living doing some type of graphic arts work, but I guess I was scared to try.

After I filled out an online form requesting more information about their graphic arts program, the school I selected got back to me the next day.

Within a few weeks, I had toured the campus, gone through the admissions and financial aid process, and became enrolled as a student.

I have to say, I feel better about myself since I decided to finally do something with my artistic interests and abilities. Even though it will require a lot of work, the potential financial and professional rewards make all of the effort very worthwhile.

When I meet people now and they ask me what I do for a living, I feel good about saying that I’m also receiving an education that will significantly improve my life.

The program I enrolled in is two years in length, and I can still work almost the same hours at the store. During the day, I work at the store, and at night, I attend classes.

For a long time, I’ve thought about moving to California at some point. The other night, I looked up California vocational schools and was glad to see that there are plenty of good graphic design schools located there.

No matter where I’m living, when I receive a Certificate in Graphic Production, I’ll be able to greatly increase my earning potential, and feel good about my life.

There is a big difference between a career and just a job. Anyone can get a job, but in order to get a career, a degree is a must have. I was one of those people that thought I would get ahead by just having a simple, low paying job. I actually quit going to school because I found it too complicated to hang on to with everything else going on in my life at the time. I ended up going back because I was extremely unhappy with my current situation. I didn’t think it was as easy to find a job with a degree than I had imagined. It didn’t take me no time at all, with the proper help and resources.

This is why I stated that having a career is way better than having a job. I believe that I will not be able to advance as far without any type of education. There are many jobs that want candidates to have a degree or at lease a certificate in order to even apply. I had to struggle with this for years before I put myself back in school. Since I already had some classes under my belt, it didn’t take me long to complete the remainder of my degree program that I was going for. I do not regret making any decisions that I have made because it led me to where I am today. There are far too many benefits that come with having a career for those looking to advance their future.

One of the most important things you can have in this day and age is an education. I was a recruiter in the financial & technology space for 7 years and worked with all different kinds of clients. It didn’t matter if they were a top 10 financial firm or a brand new start up. The key thing every company wanted was educated individuals. There is the old school thought that experience will always trump education, however in this market that is certainly not the case any longer. To clarify, an education is anything from bachelors level or higher, that is what most employers will look for today. There is however, a great way of making yourself totally employable. Most “younger” people come with the education, but not the experience, most “older” people come with experience but not the education. In my professional view, the easiest people to place (find a job) is those who have experience and an education. Sounds simple, right?. The best advice I can give anyone, as a staffing professional is if the opportunity arises for you to go back and improve your education, do it. It always looks great on your resume and shows a level of commitment to you as a person along with the profession you work in. It doesn’t matter what you do, from sales to brain surgery you can always be learning and improving your education, most importantly employers will recognize that and it will have a direct impact on your income and prospects. Most colleges and universities will offer some kind of degree that you can use to improve your prospects, you should always reach out to a campus near you and they will be more than happy to talk to you about what course may be right for you and what you can do with your current level of education. Don’t forget, there are some amazing online universities now that are able to give valid, recognized degrees and certificates for courses they undertake at their institutions. Education really is everything in this employment market and that’s a great thing, anyone can gain an education and improve where they are at the moment, you don’t have to sacrifice your current job or income to make it happen, most colleges and universities offer night courses or as I have said, online courses. One final piece of advice, you should review where you are at the moment and see where you want to be, an education is good but make sure it is relevant to what you want to be doing and where you want to get. Again, a great enrollment team at a college or university will better be able to guide you on what courses they do, but always do your own research on what will really help you. Especially if you are completing your undergraduate studies in a specific field. Finally, make sure you have fun while you do it, you deserve to be where you want to get.

The classic advice for a student is to study hard. When I returned to school after working in the service industry for five years, I felt overwhelmed by all of the upcoming exams and papers. I honestly didn’t know how to go about studying again, and felt like maybe I wouldn’t have the academic success I thought I would.

Stop Worrying
The first thing I did to improve my academic record was to stop thinking about my grades. That’s not to say I slacked off. I went to class everyday, did all of the reading, and raised thoughtful questions in class everyday. What I didn’t do was try to calculate my grade point average every step of the way. I reminded myself that as long as I was engaging with the work in a meaningful way, paying attention, and trying my best, that I would end up in a good place.

Guess what?

It worked.

Making Connections
Another skill I honed as a returning student was to make friends in class. I’m not talking about throwing a huge party for everyone, just striking up conversations on the material or an upcoming assignment with my neighbor. That way, when it came time to getting stuck on the material or missing class, I had a classmate I could lean on for help. Plus, talking with another person about the coursework ends up making you feel more confident in your knowledge, and more likely to earn a good grade.

Beyond a GPA
While having a high GPA does indicate academic achievement, it’s not the only marker of success. Remember that academic life is not only about the grades, but it’s also about engagement. Join clubs, get to know your professors, take on an internship if you can, or even play on a sports team. All of these activities make you learn more about yourself and will show your future employers than you have many skills that you can bring to the workplace.

Most of all, returning to school should be an enjoyable experience. Don’t be afraid to try new things, and stick with whatever strategies work best for you!

I never thought that even at this age, I would sit and deeply think about what I want to do with my life. I’m over thirty now- working, a husband and a father. I am an accountant and have been for the last three years. I am not particularly interested in promotions and top positions as I view them as mere employment. No matter which position I was to hold, provided I did not work for myself or under no supervision, I would still be employed. What I want with life is independence. I have narrowed my choices to starting a business of my own. When I clearly look at the requirements of a good entrepreneur, a lot of knowledge is a key requirement. I know many ways to acquire knowledge. Especially general knowledge which entrepreneurship demands. But I am not an outgoing person and most methods would be totally ineffective if I used them. I have settled that the best way to gain knowledge is by enrolling in a degree study program. The program, as I imagine, would put me in a position to meet new people from who I can learn. Being in a university will also expose me to books and information. My degree will impart the knowledge I so much require.

The problem is I do not know which degree to take. At younger ages, I was so sure I wanted an accounting degree. But after taking a diploma, my interest shifted. I was sure I had received all accounting could offer. I now contemplate a degree in Human Resource. I think this degree would equip me with the ways to understand employees and provide extra knowledge on law and management. But I also learned there is a degree in Human Resource Management. I don’t quite understand the difference but I have heard that this degree is the best in helping manage your employees. However, judging from the life I want a degree to get me-the life of a boss, a rich entrepreneur and a knowledgeable society person- I tend to lean more to a degree in Business Administration. This would tell all I need to know about businesses. But there is a more business-oriented degree, Business Management, which specifically addresses how to manage a business. I recently learned of the a degree in Entrepreneurship and Small Businesses Management which sounded like my exact requirement. I also understand the need for IT in a business. Should I take a degree in IT as I already have accounting? I have a soft spot for computers and I have a few IT-related business ideas. There is also this course, Bachelor of Business and Information Technology. I keep wondering if what I really need is a mixture of business knowledge and computer education. There are so many options available. I trust there are many I don’t know yet.

I never though that at the age of thirty six, I would still be confused what I wanted with my life.